This table displays the top-rated primetime television series of the 2005–06 season as measured by Nielsen Media Research.[1]
| Rank | Program | Network | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Idol — Tuesday | 17.6 | ||
| 2 | American Idol — Wednesday | 17.2 | ||
| 3 | 15.6 | |||
| 4 | Desperate Housewives | 13.8 | ||
| 5 | Grey's Anatomy | 12.5 | ||
| 6 | Without a Trace | CBS | 12.3 | |
| 7 | Dancing with the Stars | ABC | 12.0 | |
| 8 | CBS | 11.8 | ||
| 9 | Monday Night Football | ABC | 10.6 | |
| House | FOX | |||
| 11 | Survivor | CBS | 10.3 | |
| 12 | NCIS | 9.8 | ||
| 13 | Two and a Half Men | 9.7 | ||
| The Unit | ||||
| 15 | Dancing with the Stars — Results | ABC | 9.6 | |
| Deal or No Deal — Monday | NBC | |||
| 17 | Cold Case | CBS | 9.3 | |
| 18 | Lost | ABC | 9.2 | |
| CBS | ||||
| NBC | ||||
| 21 | 60 Minutes | CBS | 9.0 | |
| Deal or No Deal — Wednesday | NBC | |||
| 23 | ABC | 8.6 | ||
| 24 | Commander in Chief | 8.4 | ||
| 25 | The New Adventures of Old Christine | CBS | 8.3 | |
| Unan1mous | FOX | |||
| 27 | Criminal Minds | CBS | 8.2 | |
| 28 | 24 | FOX | 8.1 | |
| ER | NBC | |||
| 30 | Out of Practice | CBS | 7.8 |